Enuma Elish
Analysis (part 2)
World Literature
Mr. Brennan
Do-Now
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Final Cause of Enuma
Elish
Why would Ancient Mesopotamians
create a myth such as Enuma Elish?
Why create a story of all-powerful gods?
What would their “final cause” be?
What would their existence explain?
AGENDA
Learning
Objective
SWBAT gain a deeper understanding of Ancient Mesopotamian culture by
analyzing the form and function of the creation story, Enuma Elish.
1. Review: Enuma Elish (worksheet)
Homework
Reminders
none
Analyzing Mythical Creation Stories
Enuma Elish
COMMENTS/ANALYSIS
Metaphysical ( Origin of Cosmos)
Religious ( Poly- Mono- theistic)
Theogony of Enuma Elish
TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
APSU
TIAMAT
Lahmu
Lahamu
Mummu
Qingu
Anshar
Kishar
ANU
Social/Political ( Hierarchy of Power)
Nudimmud (Ea)
Damkina
Bel MARDUK
Social/Political ( Patri- Matri- archy)
En u m a Elish Co m p r eh en s io n Qu es tio n s
1. What are the male and female qualities of the first “thing”?
Environmental
( Explanation of Natural Phenomenon)
2. How do Apsu and Tiamat create the first gods?
Anthropological ( Origin of Man)
3. What grievance does Apsu have? What does he plan to do?
4. How does Tiamat respond to Apsu’s sceme? Why does she respond this way?
Morality
( Values/Good v. Evil/Purpose of Man)
5. What brings about the chaos inside Tiamat? What does Tiamat proceed to do?
Psychological ( Psyche/Archetypes)
6. On what terms does Marduk confront Tiamat?
7. How are humans created, and for what purpose?
Axis mundi ( World Axis)
8. Why do the gods “need” humans? Why?
9. Do creative or destructive forces win out? Why?
Portrayals of Enuma Elish
•
Metaphysical (Origin of Cosmos):
•
Religious (Poly- Mono- theistic):
•
Social/Political (Hierarchy of Power): Hierarchy w/ Supreme Ruler
•
Social/Political (Patri- Matri- archy):
•
Axis mundi (World Axis): Babylon
•
Anthropological (Origin of Man):
•
Environmental (Explanation of Natural):
•
Psychological (Psyche/Archetypes):
•
Morality (Values/Good v. Evil/Purpose of Man): look after the shrines;
Void and World Parents
Polytheistic
Patriarchy
Created by Ea, on behalf of Marduk
, from blood of Qingu
World Comprised of Tiamat
Personification of Gods
[we will cover this in a future lesson]
serve the gods, build and
criminals face Marduk
Significance of Enuma
Elish
•
Affirms the kingship as natural embodiment
of society
•
The region’s major cultural and religious
center had always been the city of NIPPUR,
where the god ENLIL (Ea) was supreme
•
However, with the rise of Hammurabi,
MARDUK rose to supremacy over the
other Mesopotamian gods and
BABYLON became known as a "holy city"
Marduk and his dragon
where any legitimate ruler of Mesopotamia
had to be crowned.
Significance of Enuma
Elish
•
Cyclical Transformation: The act of creation through the
transformation of a dead body expresses the idea that our bodies
take shape thanks to the energy that comes from the cosmos, and
will eventually go right back into the land to begin the transformative
process all over again.
•
Cyclical Violence towards Order & Fate: Apsu & Tiamat’s
murder symbolizes the presence and suppression of primal
appetites that must occur before society can come into being.
[Struggle can produce a better world. From murder and bloodshed
comes beauty and order.] Although, the forces of chaos never
disappear completely.
Significance of Enuma
Elish
At one time it was fashionable to describe Western
culture as swinging between two poles: Athens and
Jerusalem, or classical culture and Judeo-Christian
religion. Both of those cultural currents were profoundly
influenced by Enuma Elish. For all its apparent
unfamiliarity, few works have had so profound an impact
on Western civilization.
Enuma Elish Video
(see website)